Means for collecting and evening up sheets for printing-machines



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No ModeL T w. SCOTT. MEANS FOR GOLLEGTING AND EVENING UP SHEETS FORPRINTING MAGHINES.

Patented Feb.

N. PFHRS. PholwLilhOgYflphar. Washingmn. D. C.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. SCOTT.

MEANS FOR COLLECTING AND EVENING IIP SHEETS FOR PRINTING MACHINES.

No. 397,314. Patented Feb. 5,1889.

N PETERS. Pholo-Lithographcr, Washingwu. n. C.

NTTED STATES PATENT rrrcJE.

VALTER SCOTT, OF PLAINFIELD, NE\V JERSEY.

MEANS FOR COLLECTING AND EVENING Ul? SHEETS FOR PRINTING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,314, dated February5, 1889. Application filed November 21, 1887. Serial No. 255,714. (Nomodel.)

T 0 aZ Z- whom it may concern..-

Be it known that l, VALTER SCOTT, of Plainfield, in the county of Unionand State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Means forCollecting and Evening Up Sheets for Printing-h[achines, of .which thefollowing is a specification.

Printing-presses have been made in which the sheets as delivered areimposed or laid one upon the other and passed in a group to the foldingapparz'ttus. ln presses of this kind I have found that the secondimposed sheet is generally slightly to the rear of the first sheet, andso on, their forward edges not exactly coinciding. This arises partlyfrom the fact that the cylinder around which the first sheet is wrappedis thereby increased in diameter and the front edge of the second sheetcomes slightly behind the edge of the first sheet, and so on.

The object of my invention is to gradually lessen the time consumed inpassing the sheet from the cutting-cylinders to the imposingcylinderwhile collecting each group of sheets, so that the forward edges of suchsheets are exactly in line with each other, and in addition to this Ieven up the group of sheets while laying out flat and before thefolding-blade commences to act upon the same, thereby bringing all thesheets exactly into the proper position and obviating any difficultythat might arise from the conveying-belts slightly disarianging thesheets or changing the relative positions of one to the other previouslyto folding the same.

In the drawings,Figure is a diagrammatic elevation illustrating myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the folding device at theline to m, Fig. l; and Figs. 3 and at illustrate modifications in thearrangements of the belts and devices that convey the sheets to theimposing-cyliinler. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the gearing that drivesthe cutting and collecting cylinders, and Fig. 0 is a detached view of amodification of the evencr.

The impression-cylinder is'represented at A, and the plate or typecylinder at B, and

the cutting-cylinders C and D are provided with a slot and knife,respectively, of any usual character, for perforating the web of paper.The cutting-cylinders O and D are upon the shafts C and D respectively.These cutting-eylinders D are shown of one-quarter the diameter of thetype-cylinder B, so as to be adapted to cutting up the printed web intofour pages or sections each revolution of the type-cylinder; but theproportion may vary according to the number of sheets to be groupedtogether and form one signature in the folding apparatus.

The imposing or collecting cylinder F-is upon a shaft, F1 and is adapted.to receive two, three, or more printed sheets and deliver the same whenthe proper number have been collected or grouped together. Thisimposing-cylinder may be of any desired construction and provided withpenetrating-points or gripping-fingers, as are well known. I have,however, shown a plain cylinder and provided endless belts 9, runningaround the pulleys 3 +t 5, and against the portion of the periphery ofthe said cylinder, so as to hold the sheets in place as they areaccumulated.

The belts S and. 1), passing around the bulleys 6, 10, ll, 1), l3, and14, respectively, serve to convey the punctured web from thecutting-cylinders O D to the collecting-cylinder F, and the belts 8press the web of paper toward the cylinder F, and each sheet isseparated from the web when the forward end comes in contact with thecollecting-cylinder F, the speed thereof being greater than the speed ofthe cutting-cylinders C D, thereby tearing the sheet off the web at thepunctures the moment the front edge of such sheet is nipped by the belt8 against the top surface of the cylinder F. After the proper number ofsheets has been accumulated the switch 0 causes the delivery of suchsheets to the folding apparatus, hereinafter described, such switchbeing swung at the proper time by a cam or other suitable device act-ingupon the rod 16 of the crank upon. the shaft of the switch, as usual.

The collecting-cylinder F is rotated, preferably, by a train of gears,E, from the cuttingcylinders C D, as indicated in Fig. 5, there being asmaller wheel, 18, upon the shaft 19 and a larger wheel, 20, gearinginto the wheel on the shaft F of the collecting-cylinder F, so that thiscylinder F has a greater surface speed than the cutting-cylinders C D.

Upon the shaft 19 are lever-frames 22, can rying the journals of thecollecting-cylinder IOO F, and also of the rollers 33 l l) and switch 0,so that these parts can all be swung upon the shaft 19, and there is acomtecting-rod, 2?, with a pin in the cam upon the axis of thetype-cylinder 13, by which the frames 22 and the collecting-cylinder 1:an be swung forward and baclnvard each revolution off theprinting-cylinder, and the shape of the cam 26 is to be such that thefirst sheet of the group of sheets will reach the collecting-cylinder lwhen the same is :l'arthest away from the eutting-cylinders .l), andthen the said collectingcylinder l will be swung toward thecutting-cylinders l) the proper distance to cause the front end of thesecond sheet to coincide exactly with the front end of the first sheet,and this operation will, be coi'ltinued for the third and fourth sheets,or [or as many sheets as there are in the group, after which the groupof sheets is delivered and the collecting-eylinder will he swung awayfrom the cutting-cylinders .l) ready to commence receiving another setor group ol. sheets.

It will be thus seen that the distance between the collecting-cylinderand the cuttingevlinder is lessened each sheet: of the group of sheets,and then the distance is increased to the normal position as each groupof sheets is delivered, so that the colleeting-cylinderis in positionfor receiving the first sheet of the next group. It is not necessary tomove the collecting-cylinder i as the same effect is produced byshortenin the dist ancc traveled by the sheet or the time consumed inthe movement of the sheet, as illustiated in Figs. 3 and 4.

In Fig.

u the roller S is upon the lever or frames 2: at the ends of the shaftslit, and

the connecting-rod passes to the cam 20, as before, and the roller is isthereby moved toward or l'rom the cu tting-cylinders D, and the belts Hand 9, passing over and against this roller S, nip the sheet and tearthe same from the web at the perlomtions, and the sheet is accelerat j-dthcrcl iy and passes to the colleating-cylinder l, which cylinderremains in a lixed position. ,llence as the roller S is moved toward thecutter Cl) the second sheet will be caught and accelerated at an earlierperiod than the lirst sheet, and so on [or the third and l'ourth sheets,and according to the extent ol? motion given to the roller Slietn'mm thenipping of one sheet and the next, so the sl'leet will reach thecollccting-cylinder h sooner or later, and its front edge can he therebymade to coincide with the l'rontedge ol the previous sheet or belappcdthereon, il desired.

The lJet]mrc-descri'l)ed object can he effected by shortening the lengthof the bells t4 and 5) between the entthig-cylinders (,l l) and thecolleetingeylinder l progrtssively, to lessen the distance traveltafl bythe sheets in succession. \Vith this object in view the rollers '12 and30 should be mounted in spring-bearings to allow them to yield as thenipping-roller S is moved away from the cutting-eylinde'rs U l), and totake up the slack in the reverse direetion.

The group of sheets as delivered from the collccting-eylinder F, by theswitch 0' passes beneath the rods 56 and upon the bolts 32, that arearound the rollers iii} 34?, and. by them they are conveyed up to thegage or stop N, and duringthis movement the vibrating lingers G havebeen swung back out of the way. These lingers G are upon a crossshalt,an, that is provided with a crank and connecting-rod, 3'7 to a cam, K,prelerabl y upon. the shaftof the impression-cylinder A. The shape ofthis cam is such that the lingers occupy the position, indicated bydotted lines until. alter the group of sheets has passed alongbeneaththem, and thenthe said lingers are brought up against the rea r edges olthe sheets and rapidly swung hack and l'orlh by the corrugated portionof the cam l\', so asto straighten up and even the sheets, causi thefront edges olf them all. to come into cc tact with the stop N, al'terwhich the lioldiit blade )l is brought down to carry the ecnlt ol'. thegroup of sheets in between the folding rollers ll, and deliver suchgroup ol sheets as a signature ready for binding, or such group asfolded passes to any suitable aniparalus for giving :uldilional l'olds.

The stop N may be hung on pivots and made to vibrate by a cam or othersuitaljile device, as illustratcl'l in Fig. (3, to aid in evening up thesheets as they lie one on the other. In this case the st op N becon'iesthe vibrat ing cvener.

The folding-blade M isconiweted at its ends to the slides it), whichmove in vertical slideways it upon the frame ol' the machine, and thereis a revolving shaft, V, upon which are grooved cams l,'receiving pinsor rolls 4:2 upon the respective slides l-(l, so as to force down thefolding-hlznle M suddenly and at the proper moment to fold the sheetsafter they have been pro icrly evened up against the stop N.

It is prelemble to employ rods -.l-.l, sliding through guides -l-5 andhaving around them springs -.l-li, that act against the nuts -l-7 tocounlerpoisc the slides and lolding-blade and cause the movement of theparts to be more u n il'orm.

Fly making use of the eam.l',ael.ing directly upon lhe slides of thefolding-blade, I am enabled to move such l'olding-blade rapidly al tcrthe sheets have been. evened up for foreing them through betweenthelolding-rollers ll, and the motion given to the blade will be moresteady and. accurate in consequence of the cams acting directly at theends, and the folds will he even and accurate, and there will he thenecessary time for the delivery of such sheets and for the rising of theloldingdiilade before the next group of sheets is (ilellvered [from theeollceting-eyl inder.

The cutter upon the cylint'ler I) may entirely separate the sheetinstead of simply perforating it, and rods may take the place of some ofthe tapes or belts, as well-known in printing-presses. I

The evening-up lingers act upon the sheets as they lie in positionimmediately before the folding operation regardless of the position ofthe folding-rollers to the fingers.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combinz'ttion, with the type andimpression cylinders and the cutting-cylinders, of thecollecting-cylimler and the rollers and tapes or belts for conveying thesheets from the cuttingscylinders to the collecting-cylinder, andmechanism, substantially as specified, for discharging the groups ofsheets successively from the collecting-cylinder, one of the rollers orcylinders being movable laterally during the gathering of each group ofsheets to lessen the time occupied in the travel of the respectivesheets of the group from the cutting-cylinders to thecollectirig-cylinder, so as to bring the ends of all the sheets in thegroup of sheets in line with each other upon the collecting-cylinder,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a press for printing from a web of paper, ofeuttiirg-cylinders for perforating the paper, a eollecting-cylinder, andbelts for ctmveying the paper from the cutting-cylimler to thecollecting-cylinder, the swinging lever-frames 22 and shaft 19, carryingthe same, the connecting-rod 25, and cam 20, for swinging such framesprogressively during the delivery of each group of sheets and varyingthe delivery of the respective sheets in the group to bring their endsinto line with each other upon the collecting-cylinder, substantially asset forth.

3. The combination,with the cutting-cylinders (f .l) and thedelivery-belts S and 9 and their rollers, of a eollecting-eylinder, F,the belts 2, passing partially around the same, the rollers for carryingsuch belts 2, the lever- ;frames 32 and their shaft 19, for supportingthe collectiiig-eylinder, and mechanism, substantially as specified, forswinging the leverl'rames gradually during the collection of each groupof sheets to bring the collecting-cylinder nearer to thecuttirig-cylinders, and thereby insure the proper position of the sheetsone upon the other in the group of sheets around theeolleeting-cylinder, substantially as set forth.

a. The combination, with the cutting-cylinders, the collectingeylinder,the conveying belts and rollers, and a switch for delivering the groupsof sheets from the collecting cylinder, of conveying-belts for receivingthe sheets from the collecting-eylinder, a stop, N, against which thefront edges of the sheets are arrested, and vibrating fingers actingagainst the rear edges of the sheets to even up the same, substantiallyas set forth.

5. The combination, with the belts 32 and their rollers, of the stop N,vibrating fingers G, shaft 3b, carrying the same, connectingrod 37, andcam K, for vibrating the fingers, and a folding-blade, M, androllersl'l, for folding and delivering the groups of sheets,substantially as set forth.

6. The combination,with thefolding-bhnle M, of the pair of slides 4.0,supporting the folding-blade, and the pair of slideways 4-1 on oppositesides of the frame of the machine, and the revolving shaft and cams,also upon opposite sides of the machine, for moving the slides andblade, and the folding-rollers ll, substantially as set forth.

'7. The combination,with. the fohling-blade M, of the slides 40,supporting the foldingbladc, the slideways ail. on the frame of themachine, the cams J, and revolving shaft 36, for moving thefolding-blmile, and the rods and springs for counterpoising thefoldingblades and slides, substantially as specified.

8. The combination, in a paper-folding ma chine, of the rollers H H, thefolding-blade M, the parallel line of vibrating fingers G, acting on oneedge of the sheets, and mechanism, substantially as specified, forgiving motion to the parts, and the stop N, whereby the sheets afterbeing superimposed are evened up and folded, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, with the type and impression cylinders and thecutting-cylinders, of the collecting-cylinder and the rollers and tapesor belts for conveying the sheets from the cutting-cylinders to thecollecting-cylinder, and mechanism, substantially as specified, fordischarging the groups of sheets successively from thecollecting-cylinder, one of I the 'rollers or cylinders being movablelaterally during the gathering of each group of sheets to lessen thetime occupied in the travel of the respective sheets of the group fromthe cutting-cylinders to the collectingcylinder, so as to bring the endsof all the sheets in the group of sheets in line with each other uponthe colleeting-cylinder, and the foldii'ig-blade M, the rollers H, and astop, N, for folding the groups of printed sheets, substantially as setforth.

10. The combination, with mechanism, substantially as specified, forcollecting and superimposing sheets of paper, of the-foldingblade androllers, a vibrating evener acting at the front and back edges of thesheets after they are superimposed to cause said sheets to coincide witheach other, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 16th day of November, 1397.

\VALTER SCOTT.

\Yitnesses:

GEO. 'l. PINCKNEY, WILLIAM G. Mom.

